Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-04-15
DISHONEST RAILROAD CREWS.
A SYSTEM OF ORGANIZED ROBBERY
AMONG EMPLOYEES OF THE
PANHANDLE


GERS of the Pan-H Handle X. II. have
for several years been troubled with
complaints from shippers of losses
OF property, and though detectives
we're set to work to investigate, it
was not until recently that clue
to the robbers was obtained, when
it was discovered that the thefts
we're committed by employees of the
company between Pttsburg and
DennisOn, assisted by outsiders
1t is said that ~ out of 80 crews
we're connected with the robberles,
including conductors and brake
men, and that the losses by their
thefts will amount to 5000, 900,
though the cOmpany's representa-
tives place it at lower figure. 1t
was determined to make the arrests
as nearly at the same time as pos.
sible all along the line, and at two
o'clock this morning the police ar
rested eighteen Of the suspected
employees in led in this city, and
by daylight forty.six men were be-
hi- ithe bars. Further arrests were
g1made during the day. Baker, one
of the men arrested, is also charged
with the murder OF fireman who
was shot while some cars were being
robbed at Sheridan Station, near
this city, some months ago.
Brakeman Young called at the
Jail to see one of the prisoners this
morning, and was Immediately lock-
ed up. At first he protested that
he was innocent, but finally admit.
ted that he had a large lot Of the
stolen property at his house, and
told how the goods had come into
his possession. His confession will,
it is said, convict thirteen crews.
The thieves who were not arrest
ed at their homes were taken from
their trains. To do this it was nee
essary to display the red light at
the SecOnd.avenue crossing and
side. track the trains as they came
in. When the crew mustered on
the platform to ask what the red
light meant they were Individually
arrested. Train after train was
slde.tracked in this way until TWEEN.
ty.four Of these trains were strung
along the tracks. The combination
to rob freight train necessitated
the guilty knowledge and actual
participation of the conductor, the
middle brakeman zone or more) and
the rear brakeman or f1agman.
a number Of houses in various
parts of the city we're raided today,
and a large quantity Of goods re.
covered. Every man arrested had
stolen goods somewhere. Among
the prisoners are several desperate
characters, who were wanted by
the police tor other offenses. They
were all armed, and when not taken
by surprise resisted arrest. Nun.
bers overpowered them, however,
and all were safely lodged in jail
Consideration prevails among the
prOprietors Ofthe "fences' and dens
where the goods were secreted and
sold. In one instance the proprie-
tor of a notorious den was detected !
in the act of burning stolen proper
ty. Almost every man arrested had
from one 20 ten pawn tickets for all
sorts of articles on his person. 1t
is alleged that every pawn shop in |
the two cities is represented on the /
tickets.
A crew consists of conductor,
! flagman and two brakemen. In I
some cases all the men were in
volved, in others only part. An
officer of the company says: "Ihe |
goods were obtained by the thieves |
in various ways. In many instances
the seals were broken, while in
others hatchets were used to cut a
hole in the end of the car, through |
which the men crawled and took |
what they wanted. Then they re-
ported the car in bad condition,
claiming that the hole had been
made by accident. The operations
we're all the result of combination.
Arrangements were carefully made,
and each man was assigned to his
particular part Of the work in much |
the same way as bank robbery is
conducted by professional cracks.
men. They stole large quantities
of whisky and drank it in the ca
booses. They needed vessels to
hold the liquor, so they stole milk
cans and kept it in them. Not dar'
ing to keep whisky openly in the
cars, they tore up the flooring and
hld it underneath. Men were con.
tinually reported drunk on duty,
and the probability Of disaster was
something frightful to contemplate.
All kinds of goods we're stolen, In
Guiding sewing machines, guns, re-
volvers, cutlery, silverware, cigars,
clothing, liquors, groceries, furnl'
ture, and, in fact, every imaginable
article that can be carried on car
was quietly removed. The depre-
dations were committed all along
the road. and the losers reside et
points as far West as Denver
Fences we're established IN this
city, where the stolen property was
taken and sold, the money being
evenly distributed between the
crews
10 Jos. Rue, special agent Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad, and Detec-
tive Gilkeson, of this city, is due
all the credit of running the thieves
down. Detective Rue in an inter
view said: 1.-TWO years ago the
company decided to dispense with
locks on the cars and introduce the
present systems of seals. The seal
is of lead, is abont the size of a
five cent piece and is about one
eighth of an inch in thickness
The wire used in connection with
it is one.slxteenth.inch iron wire.
There are curls IN it to prevent its
being pulled through the lead seal.
The wire is pulled through the seal,
then through the hasp of the car
doors then back through the seal
again, forming an unbrOken circle.
An instrument then is used in I'm
pressing the seals. We were puz'
zled long time by the robberirs,
as our reporters from Western
points showed that the seals were
always seemingly intact. After a
most exhaustive search of the en-